There's old, and then there's old. At their 18th-century Connecticut home, Julie and Tom Murphy embraced imperfect original details—and a spare decorating approach to enhance them.

The Test of Time

The Test of Time

With low ceilings, peeling paint, and creaky floorboards, this timeworn cottage in Darien, Connecticut, would've struck most house hunters as a fixer-upper. But Julie and Tom Murphy, who bought the place last year, describe it as move-in ready: "Old beams and loose doorknobs are high on the list of things we look for," she explains. "The floors are so uneven that if you set a ball down at one end of a room, it'll roll in all kinds of directions. We're definitely drawn to character."

In this photo: A mid-1800s portrait, which came with the house, feels apropos against the dining area's original wood paneling. Steel bistro chairs from Industry West deliver a jolt of modernism.

Kitchen Details

Kitchen Details

The Murphys' new old home claims over two centuries' worth of history. Built before 1780 in Kenyon, Rhode Island, the structure faced demolition in the early 2000s—until a preservation-minded architect disassembled it, rather than witness the razing. "He numbered each plank so the whole thing could be rebuilt, piece by piece," marvels Julie, owner of stationery company Jack and Lulu.

In this photo: A vintage painting hits a homey note on the kitchen's Carrara marble countertops. The antlers, gathered in an antique wooden bowl, cost $35 on eBay.